


The Things He'll Do

by Live



Category: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: As In Squall's Triple Triad Obsession, Clothes, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, He'll Do ANYTHING For A Card, M/M, Obsession, Preparation For A Date, Shopping, Silly, This Is Just Something Silly I Felt Compelled To Write, Triple Triad (Final Fantasy)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2019-03-03 07:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13336467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Live/pseuds/Live
Summary: For Triple Triad. There wasn't ever a limit. Squall wasn't sure there was a thing as 'too far' when it came to his cards.





	The Things He'll Do

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy my dreadful descriptions and ridiculous idea!!!!

One should never doubt the lengths a dedicated Squall Leonhart was willing to go. He’d beaten many children over the years for his ever growing Triple Triad collection. Had taken, with glee, a mother’s card, filled with love, of her own son. Had gone through elaborate plans to have new designs by purposefully losing rare cards to a relative of a card maker (he won them and the new cards back as soon as he was able). Had taken every opportunity to travel for new cards, even if it meant hauling the entire Garden with him. So, there was no way he wasn’t agreeing to whoring his own boyfriend out for a card.

“Try this one on,” Squall holds the blue dress shirt out for Cloud, who takes it with a roll of his eyes. 

“I don’t get why I have to dress up,” Cloud huffs as he re-enters the dressing room. The same dressing room Squall had Cloud stuck in for the past hour. 

“You’ve got to impress your date,” Squall leans back, feeling his shoulder blades brush against the wall as he crosses his arms. Behind the curtain he hears the sound of rustling as his boyfriend tries on the forty-sixth shirt he had been given. They had found the perfect trousers and shoes earlier (the kind that hugged Cloud’s figure in all the right ways); there was a matching waistcoat Squall was going to convince Cloud to wear as well (as soon as they found the right shirt). There was no way they could fail, they had to impress-

“It’s only Tifa,” Cloud drew the curtain back, the blue shirt clung to Cloud’s torso, but swallowed his arms and the colour made his hair look impossibly bright, almost like a clear, and ironically, cloudless sky. Not good enough, Squall really needed something that complimented all of his boyfriend’s features. They could do better.

“Wait a second,” Squall directs. Cloud shakes his head at his boyfriend’s departing back, when they started dating this was the last thing he expected of the gun blade wielder. Squall was just lucky Cloud was used to/didn’t mind people playing dress up with him.

Back in the boutique, the kind of place that would sneer at only having six 0s after a ten digit number, Squall stalked through the shirts for something that would work. Cloud might think any old thing would work to impress Tifa, but it was because it was Tifa that he had to try even harder to succeed. There was no way she was willing to part with the Triple Triad card Squall was after (he knew she wasn’t, he had tried everything he could think of as persuasion before she had suggested a date with Cloud) and he wasn’t letting Cloud’s non-existent dating skills ruin his chance.

And Cloud’s dates left most normal people wanting more. They suited Squall just fine: silent moments of just existing as they watched the scenery, intense fights with monsters that had his blood pumping a mile a minute (which always lead to quick heated moments of in-separation)... Yeah perfect for Squall and Cloud, but for the rest of the world? No, Tifa needed to be seduced, and Cloud was his only option.

“Squall!” He hears a feminine voice call out and turns to meet the grinning faces of Rinoa and Selphie. “We found the perfect dress for Tifa!”

Rinoa reaches into a bag and pulls out a box before Squall even asks. Opening it Squall is presented with a gorgeous red dress, the kind that elegantly hangs from one shoulder before draping across the rest of the female figure, in soft shimmering waves. It is perfect and gives Squall an idea.

He turns around and goes back on his hunt, the perfect prey in mind. There’s an indignant squawk behind him and a bunch of scuffling noises.

“Hey! Not even a thank you?” Rinoa huffs as she falls into step beside him, trying to carefully shove the box back into its bag (but as always the awkward corners prove to be too strong for the mighty sorceress).

“Thanks,” Squall says it genuinely, as he takes the bag and box from Rinoa and slides it in without problem. He keeps the bag in hand, much to Rinoa and Selphie’s amusement (and pleasure).

“Where’s Cloud?” Selphie asks, sure they’d have found the duo by the blonde’s ridiculous spikey hair.

“In the changing room,” Squall explains as he eyes a shirt, which might do. “Haven’t found the right shirt yet.”

“And he’s willingly waiting?” Selphie asks, to which Squall gives an unintelligible ‘hmm’ to: Cloud hadn’t complained yet so they were probably good.

“What do you think?” Squall asks them as he picks up the next shirt for Cloud to try on.

“Aw, matching colours! Why didn’t you do anything this romantic when you were dating me?” Rinoa jokingly huffs, her arms linked behind her, a smile on her face.

“I only know this is meant to be romantic from dating you,” Squall snorts, heading back to where he had left Cloud. The girls follow.

“You know it’ll be super cute if you and Cloud got an outfit to match,” Selphie nudges into his side. “You both like wearing black so much it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Oh, yeah! How about something like this?” Rinoa jumps over to a nearby hanger and pulls out a black dress shirt with golden trim. “You’d both look so cool.”

“We’re good,” Squall dismisses. Rinoa jumps back to his side just to hit him in the shoulder.

“You’re as unromantic as always,” she rolls her eyes. “What did I ever see in you? What does Cloud see in you? You’re making him go on a date with his ex for a card!”

“Who knows,” Squall shrugs, no time to over complicate their relationship. “But, I’m glad for it.”

“Aww, you’re as secretly sweet as always!” Selphie cheers, shoving Squall into the room Cloud’s waiting in. She goes to leave, but not before sneaking a peek. “Looking good Cloud! You should get blue shirts more often, your wardrobe is severely lacking in colour!” 

Cloud raises a hand in thanks at Selphie, before turning to Squall. “Find a winner this time?” Squall looks as impressed as his face allows him (which is not at all).

“Here,” is all Squall deigns that with; then Cloud is behind the changing room curtain (again) and Squall is left to lean against the wall with his thoughts (and two sets of giggles from the entrance of the room, but he has practice ignoring that). 

Really, Squall should have got someone else to help pick out Cloud’s clothes. He’d always thought his boyfriend looked good in whatever he wore, but now he was having to find the perfect outfit for the man... Well, it’s not like he’s disliked anything his boyfriend had tried on for him (there was one dark purple shirt the man had worn earlier that had to have magnetic buttons if the way Squall’s eyes refused to leave them was anything to go by; his fingers had itched to toy with them, to devotedly relieve the shirt of its duty, so Squall could deify the flesh beneath. Yet no matter how much the shirt made Cloud look like a mythological God, the pattern on the back looked dreadful when on an actual living body) it’s just Squall is biased. Squall is so incredibly biased. He’s explored every acre of flesh that is Cloud, he’s observed every movement that trained body can make and he’s listened to every compliment or complaint that anyone’s made on Cloud’s physique (and personality). There’s no one in the world more qualified than Squall to choose Cloud’s outfit. But, he’s maybe a tad overqualified if how long this is taking is evidence... There’s just something always off, if the goal is to highlight all of Cloud’s good features (of which there are a lot).

“This one?” Cloud asks as he draws the curtain back. 

Cloud is stood there in the black dress pants that are just the right amount of tightness to highlight the strength and (current) stillness of his legs, and even though those legs are amazing, and those trousers only prove it, Squall’s eyes can’t stray beyond the red expanse of Cloud’s top half. The sleeves of this shirt only reach the elbow before the cuffs folds up, Cloud’s forearm is left on display (and what a display that little bit of skin is); everything above the elbow is pressed smooth across Cloud’s muscles, effortlessly. The shirt follows the outline of Cloud’s waist so perfectly that Squall swears he can visualise his v-line. And the colour, it’s a deep and bright red (the type of red a person devoted to love tries to find for their roses) and it makes Cloud’s hair appear bright (almost as though it’s glowing) and yet makes the actual glow of Cloud’s eyes appear normal (as though Mako wasn’t running through him and enhancing his every fibre). 

“Squall?” Cloud asks when he’s been silent for too long.

Squall kisses him. His hands circling Cloud’s waist carefully as to not wrinkle the material. The material provides him no resistance as they stroke from Cloud’s sides to the dip of his back: he pulls him closer. Cloud’s hands trail up to his face and it’s pleasant to feel the deep ridges of hardworking hands run along his jaw. Squall hums in satisfaction.

“You like it then?” Cloud snorts when Squall pulls back slightly (but not too far, how could he hope to pull away from the handsome figure in front of him?).

“We’re getting it,” Squall nods. 

“You’re meant to compliment him on how good he looks!” Rinoa’s voice calls from the door way. Letting his hold on Cloud fall (and he refuses to describe the action as dejectedly) Squall turns around to the girl. She’s fully standing in the men’s changing room, hands on her hips. “Why are you so unromantic? At least say you ‘like it’, none of these subtle compliments to get around it!”

“Rinoa,” Squall shakes his head, one hand falling to his hip. “You’re not meant to be in here.”

“Oh, you’re no fun,” she huffs, before slowly trudging out of the room, shooting the two of them looks over her shoulder. “You look really handsome Cloud, don’t let Squall get out of complimenting you!”

When they’re finally on their own again, Squall turns back to his boyfriend. He’s positive his eyes would have been distracted by how attractive the man is if he hadn’t have caught the smirk across those kissable lips. “What?”

“Not gonna tell me I’m looking good like Rinoa suggested?” Squall’s head falls into his hands and lets out a groan.

“Just get changed back into your normal clothes and we can buy everything,” Squall grumbles into his hands. Cloud’s laughter almost drowns out the sound of the curtain being closed once more.

Squall slumps into the wall behind him and resists the urge to groan. Why does everyone he love find it hilarious to tease him? Surely they know he finds Cloud attractive, they wouldn’t be dating if there wasn’t mutual attraction; he wouldn’t kiss him like that, in public of all places, if he didn’t want to have Cloud in his life... Then again maybe trying to show his feelings through actions alone isn’t really sufficient when he’s asked for his boyfriend to go on a date with someone else, and is now going through the painstaking task of making that date perfect. It’s not something he’s ever tried to do for any of his and Cloud’s dates... maybe...

The curtain pulls back and Cloud’s in his normal everyday black vest shirt, black cargo pants and black steel capped boots. He looks just as good in his normal outfit (Squall might say even better, seeing as he knows how those clothes make the motion of Cloud jumping into battle look all the more dynamic and vibrant. It’s an image that has been seared into his mind forever, a thought that burns so brightly not even the GF can touch it). 

“I’ll go buy it then,” Squall holds his hands out for the clothes. With a roll of his eyes Cloud relents, the material feeling so delicate and dainty in Squall’s hands (which makes no sense, seeing as they make Cloud look so sharp and stunning when he’s actually wearing them).

“I’ll keep the girls entertained,” Cloud eyes the door where the two of them have been taken routine checks on them. 

“Good luck with that,” Squall snorts. His mind tells his body it should probably be turning about now. That he should be making his way to the checkout so they can get back to 7th Heaven, so Cloud and Tifa can get ready, but... Squall can’t seem to make his body listen to him. Can’t take those few feet away from Cloud. Not yet.

Cloud raises a brow in question.

“You always look good,” Squall mutters before his body finally obeys him and he’s gone. Leaving a surprisingly flustered Cloud and two giggling girls. He vows once he’s got his card, he’s going to avoid situations like this... at least publicly.

——— 

7th Heaven is as homely as ever, even with the extra guests fussing over two of the tenants of the building. Squall’s left Tifa in the capable hands of Rinoa and Selphie (he’s sure the two of them will gossip to Tifa, but at least they’ll get the job done). Meaning he’s left with Cloud and the two children that Cloud and Tifa look after.

“Why would you send your boyfriend on a date with someone else?” Marlene asks, sending Squall the most unamused look from over the back of the chair she’s perched on. 

“For a Triple Triad card,” Squall answers. He’s stood behind Cloud (who’s suppressing laughter at this whole conversation) to adjust the buckles of the waistcoat to fit Cloud just right. Cloud had only shook his head in amusement before letting Squall put it on him.

“So, you’d willing trade a date with your boyfriend for a card?” Marlene has perfected the indignant tone of voice. It’s the kind of voice that makes one question what a person truly knows, but Squall’s had enough uncertainty in his life and happily gives Marlene a hum of acknowledgement. “You know Tifa has feelings for Cloud, right?”

“Cloud loves Tifa as well,” Squall looks at Marlene. “I’m aware.”

“Then why would you make them go on a date together? It doesn’t make any sense!” She crosses her arms, broadcasting her displeasure to all around.

“Marlene,” Cloud’s soothing voice makes her looks at him. He gives her a reassuring smile. “What is it you’re not getting?”

“It’s more like I don’t get why he’s not worried,” Marlene kicks her legs back and forth, eyes jumping between the two of them. “What if you and Tifa get back together? Then Squall’s going to be on his own, all he’ll have is his card. I don’t get why you’d risk a relationship for a card.”

“It’s not a risk,” Squall gives her a smile. “The only worry I have is Cloud ruining the date for Tifa... I trust him with our relationship though, that’s why I’m not worried about us breaking up.”

“Me and Tifa also wouldn’t get together,” Cloud adds. “We just couldn’t get it to work, no matter how much we love each other, some relationships just don’t work out.”

“It still doesn’t make any sense,” Marlene informs them (and it just makes them smile).

“That’s fine,” Cloud shrugs. “You don’t need to understand everything.”

“Alright,” Marlene agrees sceptically.

“You want to try to sort out Cloud’s hair with me?” Squall asks.

“Yeah!” Marlene’s large smile is back on her face (much to Squall’s relief).

Reluctantly Cloud sits down on the floor, so Marlene can reach his hair from the chair. Squall crouches behind Cloud and holds a brush out for Marlene. “So, what should we attempt to do?”

“A plait,” Marlene nods her head as though it was an ingenious idea and Squall just smiles, amused.

It’s a few minutes later when Denzel bursts in, an item in hand and excitedly calling Squall’s name, that another person is witness to Marlene’s attempt at plaiting Cloud’s hair. The man in question is keeping a poker face (as to not have Marlene worry over the amount of cringing he wants to make due to his hair being tangled and pulled too hard). The hair in question is tied in multi-coloured hairbands (courtesy of Squall who’s holding them out for Marlene), none of the tied off areas even slightly appear plait-like.

“Cloud?” Denzel asks in disbelief.

“Denzel,” Cloud acknowledges, his face relaxed (his poker face not cracking).

“What are you doing with your hair?” He asks and Squall sympathises, if he’d just walked in he’d be just as confused as to what was going on.

“We’re plaiting it for his date,” Marlene informs him, dragging another bunch of blonde spikes together and twisting them before taking another (pink) hairband from Squall. The tied off hair limps dejectedly to the side once Marlene releases it from her grasp.

“I don’t think it’s really working,” Denzel says it so uncertainly (it almost breaks Squall’s heart), but Cloud just smiles at him.

“I guess my hair is a little short for a plait, what do you think would look nice, Denzel?” Cloud asks.

“Tifa always says my hair looks pretty handsome!” Denzel grins. “Brush it to the side like mine.”

“Think you can manage that, Marlene?” Cloud asks and she tugs at another strand (Squall swears Cloud’s poker face falls for a second and he can see the wince).

“If your hair will listen,” she bemoans. “It’s too unruly.”

Cloud hums in agreement as Marlene proceeds to take the hair ties out (giving them back to Squall). Marlene chatters away to Cloud about how they were going to make his hair look neat for once. With an amused glance Denzel walked towards them.

“I found what you wanted Squall,” he informs him, holding out a clear glass bottle.

“Thanks,” he ruffles Denzel hair and the boy grins in return.

“Don’t tell me you’ve brought more?” Cloud tries to look back at him, but Marlene tells him off so he keeps looking forward (but he’s not happy about it, he wanted to give Squall a disapproving look). “You’ve already spent a fortune on this date.”

“Better make it worth the money then,” Squall intones, completely seriously.

“What is Triple Triad anyway?” Denzel asks, sitting down next to Squall. 

“A card game that’s popular back in Balamb... and the countries around it,” Squall pulls out some cards (always some on hand), to show Denzel. “They can be based off monsters, Guardian Forces or people. I’ve collected everyone I’ve found so far.”

“That sounds obsessive,” Marlene comments and Squall shrugs: it does sound obsessive.

“Ah, that’s the girl you came in with,” Denzel points out the card of Rinoa. “Do you have to have those cards made?”

“Yeah, there’s a couple of ways to get the cards made professionally. Rinoa’s father actually had this card made and traded it with me for Ifrit,” Squall explains, holding it out for Denzel to inspect.

“What happened to the card you traded? I thought you collect every card you see? Did you have more than one of it?” Denzel asks.

“Caraway, that’s Rinoa’s Father, wanted it to give away to a friend, so I won it back off his friend later,” Squall shrugged. Triple Triad had always been a good pastime at Garden, even if he went to the extremes to collect them all (the time he tried to card a T-Rexaur before he was strong enough to take a T-Rexaur down for example).

“Obsessive,” Marlene sing-songed at the same time Denzel asked: “What card are you trying to get from Tifa?”

“Cloud’s card,” Squall answered, much to the children’s excitement. 

“Cloud has a card?” Denzel asked excitedly and Squall hummed the affirmative. “Show me, when Tifa gives it to you!”

“At least if you breakup, you’ll still be able to look at Cloud I guess,” Marlene chimed in. Cloud snorted, the humour of Squall wanting him to go on a date with Tifa for his Triple Triad card having not left him yet.

“They’re not going to breakup,” Denzel defended them. 

“How would you know?” Marlene asks, not unkindly (maybe a little disgruntled).

“They share a bed. My Mum and Dad told me only married couples share a bed,” Denzel explained. Cloud and Squall do share a bed whenever they visit each other (and they really needed to invest in a double bed, the cramps and deadweight in their limbs after a night of practically sprawling on top of each other was exhausting), but that wasn’t really a good argument for them sticking together (not that they were going to be telling children that).

“Ok,” Marlene relents, even though Cloud is sure she has even more to say on the topic- Marlene usually did the clever girl that she is.

“How’s the hair going?” Cloud asks instead, diverting the conversation back into safer grounds.

“Impossible,” Marlene whines. “The spikes won’t stay down.”

“Guess Cloud’s stuck with his usual spikes for tonight,” Squall shrugs, it’s not the worst thing to happen (Squall’s reluctantly attached to them anyways). 

“What a catastrophe,” Cloud snarks and Squall shakes his head at the man’s antics.

“Not getting out of smelling nice though,” Squall plops the cologne onto Cloud’s lap.

“Where did you get this?” Cloud asks him, eyeing the bottle dubiously.

“Took it from Irvine’s collection,” the self-proclaimed ladies’ man had so many ridiculous things he believed would woo a woman. Most were ridiculous (this one smelt pretty nice though). 

There’s a knock at the door as Cloud lets Marlene smell the cologne before he puts it on. “Come in.”

“Tifa is ready,” Rinoa pops her head in. She sends them a grin. “Aw, look at you lot! The peak of domestic bliss.”

Squall rolls his eyes at her. “Yeah, yeah. We’re coming.”

When they get down the stairs they see Tifa’s gracing the dress chosen for her as though she was born to wear it, she has makeup on and is smiling brightly, laughing with Rinoa and Selphie (yep, definitely gossip. Which Rinoa will inevitably share with Squall, because she always does). Once they’re down stairs, with Cloud standing next to Tifa, Squall can’t help congratulating their hard work, the two of them look amazing next to each other. A job well done.

“You’re sure this is ok?” Tifa asks him, always the worrier.

“Of course,” Squall smirks. “Just remember to give me the card when you get back.”

“Of course,” Tifa smiles. “I’ll leave Marlene and Denzel in your care then.”

“I’ll make sure you get your card,” Cloud says, giving Squall a quick peck on the lips before he links arms with Tifa. “Better not expect me to do this again, though.”

Squall smirks. “I promise nothing.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been writing this while ill this last week (and finally feel well enough to jump on the computer to post it XD), so hopefully my delirious writing was as amusing to you guys as it was for me! I've been replaying FF8 and wondering what lengths Squall would go to own Cloud's card and well you've read what I think XD Also I feel there needs to be more Squall-Marlene interaction, I feel she has a personality Squall can appreciate! 
> 
> For now adieu! Hope you enjoyed and I need to get back to commenting/replying now that I don't feel so lame! Thanks for reading <3


End file.
